Rothenberg: Rubio and Jindal Are Allies Now, Adversaries Maybe Later

Rubio, above, and Jindal are currently allies in a rather risky effort to redefine the Republican Party’s image, Stuart Rothenberg writes, but both are considered potential favorites for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

But to some in the GOP, the two candidates’ credentials are a sign that they are part of the “establishment” and their success to this point doesn’t guarantee anything. In fact, it makes them targets, both within the party and to liberals and Democrats who would prefer to destroy them now rather than face them in 2016 or 2020.

Rubio and Jindal seem willing to take the GOP’s damaged brand problem head-on, which offers both high risk and high reward. But most smart Republicans believe the risk is necessary.

As one GOP strategist told me recently, “It’s critically important that both Marco Rubio and Bobby Jindal move to the forefront of the Republican Party now. The danger to both of them is that they get 36 months down the road and get stuck driving a car with no engine. It’s time to rebuild the car while we still have time.”

Already proclaimed by Time magazine as his party’s political “savior” and by The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza as “the new leader of the Republican Party,” Rubio is still relatively new to national politics, and he has some baggage from Florida that critics can exploit.

Jindal lacks Rubio’s charisma, and as a two-term governor, he has inevitably made some decisions that will produce criticism. And he has no foreign policy experience.

Smart Republican insiders believe that Rubio and Jindal are up to the task of remaking the GOP, but there are plenty within the party who will find reason to complain and resist. And the national media always enjoy taking down a young politician. Those are reasons enough to watch and see how the two Republicans fare over the next two years.

Stuart Rothenberg (@stupolitics) is editor of the Rothenberg Political Report (rothenbergpoliticalreport.com).